Improvement advice

[carrimclaren]

Hi,

Well i'm finally making some progress schoolingwise with my mare but i just thought i might take advantage of people's know-how and ask how people think i could maybe improve my position a little and how.

I'm not hugely strong through the leg and i'm just starting to get rid of my "riding school" habit, as i call it, of continuously kicking and am now squeezing instead. But as you can see from the picture it's quite hard for me and i'm drawing my leg back. I'm sort of at a loss as to how to remedy it, is without stirrup work about the only thing i can concentrate on doing?

I realise she's a little overbent but just to show how hard the years been

Sept 2004 (http://www.mclarenenterprises.com/auctpics/talk.jpg)
Weak back end, no contact, me = no idea of how to get contact :)

Now (http://www.mclarenenterprises.com/auctpics/libbend.JPG)
A little overbent but we are working on that. She wasn't in her most photo happy mood :rolleyes:

[Tootsie4U]

I got a VERY good exercise for you! Hard as heck, but it will fix you!

While you and your horse are warming up, stand in your stirrups at the trot. Try to not balance on your reins. You'll have to keep your knee bent to absorb the motion.

You will not be able to stand if youre doing any of the deadly sins!

If you're pinching with your knees, you'll fall.
If you're leg is too far back, you'll fall forward.
If you're leg is too far forward, you'll fall back.
If you're not letting your weight fall through your heels, you'll fall forward.

If you're falling, adjust appropriately without balancing on those reins or assisting yourself by hanging onto the pommel.

Basically if you can balance standing in your stirrups, you are at the correct 'plumb' line. Once you're able to stay standing, mimic the exact feeling as you sit. An walla, you're in the classical seat!

Pic 2 looks to me like your stirrups are very short. If you're just warming up or doing flat work, that wont be helping you get a good leg position!

[carrimclaren]

I think they were at shorter length as i got told to put them up a hole to jump with. Usually for flatwork they're a hole longer but i suppose that's still quite short :o

Will try your exercise, haven't done that since i was a kid so should be intersting :) Thanks Tootsie

[DavidH]

Obviously very difficult to give thorough advice from single stationary pic but is one glaring problem. Your stirrups are way too short (even for jumping).
Having you stirrups that short pushes your knee forward in to the saddle knee rolls and creates a pivot point. It also pushes your seat to the back of the saddle creating an armchair position.
Lenghten your stirrups at least 2 holes but preferably more then move your seat to the front of the saddle. Now concentrate on opening the pelvis and thigh which will put your leg in the correct position and give the freedom to use without a pivot point.
Vid would help a lot to be able to really answer the question.

[carrimclaren]

Thanks David. I'm afraid it's a case of me being a novice and taking advice off people who are more "experienced" than i. Usually i don't really listen but on this occasion i'd just got off a bucking bronco and felt anything was worth giving a go if it meant staying on. Afraid it was a rather badly thought out decision. I'm glad you've said to lengthen as i nearly did it wednesday night when that pic was taken but then thought oh no better not :o Sometimes it's hard as there's so many different opinions given on our yard that i get quite ignorant and don't listen to them. Now i see why :rolleyes:

A friend does have a camcorder and said i could always borrow it if i wanted and seeing as i've never seen myself ride i should really get something done about it :)